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Bildad (Biblical Hebrew: בִּלְדַּד, romanized: Bildaḏ;[a] Ancient Greek: Βαλδάδ, romanized: Baldád), the Shuhite, was one of Job's three friends who visited the patriarch in the Hebrew Bible's Book of Job. He was a descendant of Shuah, son of Abraham and Keturah (Genesis 25:1–2),[2] whose family lived in the deserts of Arabia, or a resident of the district.[3] In speaking with Job, his intent was consolation, but he became an accuser, asking Job what he has done to deserve God's wrath.
Speeches
editThe three speeches of Bildad are contained in Job 8,[4] Job 18[5] and Job 25.[6] In substance, Bildad largely echos what Eliphaz the Temanite had claimed.[7] Bildad's speech is charged with somewhat increased vehemence, compared to Eliphaz who spoke first, because Bildad found Job's words too angry and impious. He was the first of Job's friends to attribute Job's calamity to actual wickedness; however, he does so indirectly, by accusing Job's children (who were destroyed in the opening scenes, Job 1:19)[8] of sin to warrant their punishment (Job 8:4).[9]
Bildad's brief third speech, just five verses in length,[10] marked the silencing of the friends.[11]
In popular culture
edit- Bildad the Shuhite is depicted in the Prime Video Series Good Omens, where the demon Crowley disguises himself as "one of the friends of Job" in a satirical retelling of the Book of Job.
- Bildad is also the name of one of the owners of the Pequod in Herman Melville's Moby-Dick.
- Dr Grantly, archdeacon of Barchester in Anthony Trollope's novel Barchester Towers, is on occasion compared to "Bildad the Shuhite" (vol. II, ch. 44).
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^ John L. Mckenzie (October 1995). The Dictionary Of The Bible. Simon and Schuster. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-684-81913-6.
- ^ Genesis 25:1–2
- ^ "www.Bibler.org - Dictionary - Bildad". 2012-08-20.
- ^ Job 8
- ^ Job 18
- ^ Job 25
- ^ Benson, J. (1857). "Job 8". Benson's Commentary. Retrieved 16 July 2021. — Benson quotes Heath and Dodd
- ^ Job 1:19
- ^ Job 8:4
- ^ Job 25:2–6
- ^ "Bildad". Bibler.org. Glossary. Retrieved 2012-08-20.
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